Woodland city officials are expanding the scope of the long-planned Interstate 5 Exit 21 improvement project to include nearby Exit 22, aiming to address growing congestion and prepare for traffic impacts during future construction.
The Exit 21 interchange, Woodland’s primary south access point, has faced increasing congestion for years, particularly during peak travel hours. The city has hired Kittleson and Associates to evaluate design options, with roundabouts emerging as a likely solution. However, a required biological assessment from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has delayed the project timeline, pushing construction closer to 2028-29.
With that delay creating a multi-year gap before construction begins, city officials turned their attention northward to Exit 22, a corridor already nearing capacity and expected to absorb additional traffic once work begins at Exit 21.
“It’s been a long-known fact that (Exit) 22 is also at about 95% capacity for current development, so it was something that had to be addressed, looking at alternative concepts in the short term,” Woodland Public Works Director Riley Bunnell said.
The City of Woodland formally requested expanding the project scope in early 2026, reallocating a portion of the $2.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding previously awarded by Cowlitz County. That funding was originally intended for design and engineering work at Exit 21, but it must be spent by the end of 2026.
“We decided to make the most of what we had and try to address other issues and concerns that we would see when Exit 21 goes into construction,” Bunnell said.
Cowlitz County commissioners recently approved the scope expansion, allowing Kittleson and Associates to begin analyzing traffic conditions and potential improvements at Exit 22. The work is being handled by a separate team within the firm, ensuring the Exit 21 design process continues uninterrupted as it heads toward biological review.
Exit 22 is the entrance to a growing commercial and industrial area near Woodland High School, Walmart and several port-owned properties. The ramps on both sides of I-5 are limited to one lane. Of three closely spaced roundabouts on Dike Access Road, two connect directly to the ramps, which could create a bottleneck between the northbound and southbound ramps beneath the railroad overpass.
“The railroad on Exit 22 actually splits the two on and off ramps on the east and west pretty much in half,” Bunnell said. “So you have your under-rail crossing, and that’s your narrowest pinch point on Exit 22 that we have to take into consideration.”
Bunnell said the goal is not a full rebuild of Exit 22, but targeted, short-term improvements to ease congestion and support traffic flow during the future Exit 21 construction phase. Early concepts include potential slip lanes and other modifications to improve movement through existing roundabouts.
“What we’re really looking for right now is (for) Exit 22 to have the capability of installing slip lanes or some other alternative to help with the congestion,” Bunnell said. “The reduction of (Exit) 21’s usage will be able to be handled by 22 and kind of relieve that congestion.”
Kittleson is expected to present four conceptual alternatives for Exit 22 by Summer. The City Council will review those options in public workshops before narrowing them down to two preferred concepts for further design and cost analysis. Final conceptual plans must be completed by December 2026 to meet federal funding deadlines.
Meanwhile, the Exit 21 project remains in its design phase, with completion of a biological assessment expected before the end of 2026. That review process, conducted by WSDOT, could take two to three years alone, delaying final design work and construction readiness.
“We should have more direct (project) costs, if the biological assessment is approved, to move forward,” Bunnell said. “Obviously, there’s gonna be some changes if they require other stormwater mitigation to be implemented.”
If the current timeline holds, construction on Exit 21 could begin as early as 2029 or 2030. Bunnell anticipates the city will keep portions of the interchange open during construction, though delays and increased traffic are inevitable.
“We do know that there will be a delay, and we’re gonna try to mitigate backups on I-5 and try to be prepared for that, and that’s the biggest driver,” Bunnell said.
